By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
In April, the Apopka City Council put a Request for Proposal (RFP) out for a Change Manager to consult and advise the Apopka Fire Department. It was a step recommended by Gannon Emergency Solutions in its report about the AFD.
Part of the RFP stated:
Independent Assessment and Verification
Introduction/Summary (section 1): Specifically, the City of Apopka seeks a consultant for independent verification and implementation of key recommendations provided by a recent comprehensive Health and Safety Review (conducted by a third party of the Fire Department).
Scope of Work (section 3): Conduct a detailed and thorough assessment of the Health and Safety Review provided by a third-party
Scope of Work (section 3a): Provide an independent, objective assessment and verification of the implementation of key recommendations provided in the Comprehensive Health and Safety review.
But the language used in the RFP did not suit Gannon or any other would-be Change Manager - as it did not receive a single bidder.
"The RFP clearly precludes our ability to participate and is not designed to address the full range of issues," said Gannon about the RFP at that time.
But with the new language and a new RFP, perhaps things can change this time.
The Apopka City Council, at its June 7th meeting, voted unanimously to resubmit an RFP to hire a Change Manager for the Apopka Fire Department.
"This isn't intended to be the end all be all," said Commissioner Kyle Becker. "It's more of a get the general sense of what the spirit of this RFP was."
Becker also referenced the previous RFP, which received no bids, and a scathing rebuke from Gannon Emergency Solutions.
"I think, the last RFP, and let's just assume good intent for the sake of argument, but it was more to kind of validate findings that were in certain reports versus just, you know, we're past that phase," said Becker. "Let's just accept them, and let's like, track them to completion."
Becker then read his draft proposal for a new RFP into the record:
Request for Proposal Guidelines of Scope | Project Manager - Apopka Fire Department
Justification
In 2022, the Apopka Fire Department, our city, friends, and family lost Firefighter Austin Duran due to a workplace accident while honorably serving in the line of duty. As a result, a series of reports have been completed, e.g., State Fire Marshall's Report and the Gannon Emergency Services Report, or are in the process of completion, e.g., National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NISH). These reports outline, amongst other things, deficiencies or areas for improvement in the operations of the Apopka Fire Department.
Over the last year, a series of events and votes have taken place that indicate a lack of confidence by various parties in how the administration will accept findings in the mentioned reports and fully track the implementation of solutions to address and close those findings. As was suggested in the Gannon report and approved in a majority consensus of the City Council, there is a desire for a change manager, or in the case of this proposal, a project manager who will be directly accountable to the City Council as it relates to the oversight of the implementation of these changes.
Having an independent project manager will ensure all necessary changes required in the reports of findings are adequately cited, addressed, and implemented. This will allow AFD administration full focus on creating and executing the changes required to promote a safe, healthy, and motivated department.
High-Level Statement of Work
The primary outcome of this work will be consolidating recommendations from the (3) safety reports previously mentioned, creating execution plans and schedules, and tracking the implementation of the recommendations. In addition to the report recommendations, the project manager will also facilitate the creation of a Strategic Plan, target organizational structure, and succession planning while at all phases of work accountable to the City Council.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Create formal master tracking of all safety report recommendations
- Create a prioritization scale to ensure the most critical items are addressed in the proper order
- Facilitate cross-functional sessions to ensure all necessary departments and personnel are
consulted when creating standard operating guidelines (SOG) to address any finding(s)
- Create project plans with clear timelines of when tasks are started and expected to be
completed
- Create budget justifications for items requiring additional capital or operating expense
- Lead the creation and completion of an AFD Strategic Plan
- As part of the AFD Strategic Plan, create a target operating model and succession plan
- Create an SOG governance policy and process
- Benchmark against local, state, and federal fire rescue best practices and standards
- Create recurring reporting to City Council citing progress and timeline targets, as well as any barriers to success
Duration
- Initial Contract Period: 1 Year (or otherwise bid based on the scope of work)
- Additional Contract Periods: Negotiable (based on bids)
Accountability
- The project manager will have sole accountability to the City Council in terms of oversight,
escalation path and removal of any barriers to the success of the statement of work
Before the vote, the Council discussed the timing of putting a new RFP into play.
"I'd only say, do you want to wait until we get back the report from NIOSH?" Mayor Bryan Nelson asked.
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) is currently working on a report for the AFD.
"No, no, no," said Commissioner Diane Velazquez. "Because I asked him [Apopka Fire Chief Sean Wylam] about that report... and that can take up to two years. I don't feel at this point that we should wait for that report. Because we have one report already. And there's no guarantee that that report will come anytime soon."
"Yeah, we're planning to work on it in the meantime as well," said Commissioner Nick Nesta. "So yeah, I think it would make sense to implement it as soon as possible."
The Council voted 4-0 to put a new RFP for an AFD Change Manager, and to use the draft as a guideline for writing it. Commissioner Alexander Smith was not in attendance and did not vote on the measure.
After the vote, The Apopka Voice contacted Chris Gannon, the CEO of Gannon Emergency Solutions, to see if he might be interested in potentially putting in a bid on this RFP.
"The city brought in a globally recognized firm with state, national, and international experience to make the diagnosis," Gannon said. "I am hopeful a revised RFP gives us an opportunity to bid on providing the cure."
